Stillwater · Mixed · West Midlands / Warwickshire

Draycote Water

Draycote Water — Lazy Rider

A 243-hectare Midlands reservoir that joined the Anglian Water portfolio in April 2025 alongside Grafham, Rutland, and Pitsford.

Marginal · Rainbow
Marabou Damsel · 8-12
A patient day, if you fancy it
Water temperature is the limiting factor today, not the wave. Fish dawn or dusk if you go at all, and handle everything with extra care.
40% confidence
limited data

Peak season here starts around March — worth planning ahead.

What moved it
  • WindSE 14 km/hGentle breeze
Today's fly
MD
Marabou Damsel8-12
Retrieve, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Gentle breeze
SE 14 km/h
N
SE
from the south-east
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp—
Air temp34°C
CloudClear
Pressure1020 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

Head to
Saddle BankToft BankHensborough

A SE wind today is pushing food and drift lanes toward Saddle Bank, Toft Bank and Hensborough. Fish stack progressively at the windward bank — work the exposed shore toward the sheltered end.

How to fish it · for Rainbow
When
Buzzers dawn into late morning April through June; daphnia mid-water in summer; sedges into September; back-end lures through October.
Where
Coomb Bay, the dam, and the open water boat marks. Bank access is good — popular Midlands water.
Method
Floater with buzzers under indicator in spring; midge-tip and team of three through summer; sweeping line for the back-end.
Kit
10 ft #7 boat rod; floating, intermediate and fast-intermediate lines; 6 to 8 lb fluoro. Drogue and a long-handled net.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Marabou Damsel (8-12) — on the point. Rainbows respond to more active retrieves — try short strips between pauses. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely.

Plan B

Fish early and late, try deeper during the heat of the day with a fast-sinking line.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Either bank or boat

Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
41%
Cloud25%
Wind65%
Temp25%

Conditions are away from Draycote Water's sweet spot — it usually fishes best in ripple wind with cloud skies.

Other water nearby · 5
Packington Somers Fishery
24 km
Rainbow trout
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
25 km
Pike · Perch · Carp
Pitsford Water
32 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Thornton Reservoir
38 km
Rainbow trout
Salford Trout Lakes
42 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Gallery · 7
  1. Draycote Water — Lazy Rider
    Lazy Rider
  2. Panoramic view of Draycote Water reservoir from the south-east, the open expanse of water under a blue sky.
    Draycote Water from the south-east
  3. Draycote Water reservoir with Thurlaston village across the water on the far shore.
    Thurlaston from Draycote Water
  4. Sailing dinghies on Draycote Water reservoir on a sunny day with open water behind.
    Sailing boats at Draycote Water
  5. Landscape photograph of Draycote Water reservoir showing open water and surrounding countryside.
    Draycote Water
  6. The large eastern dam embankment of Draycote Water reservoir with water visible.
    Draycote Water dam
  7. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A 243-hectare Midlands reservoir that joined the Anglian Water portfolio in April 2025 alongside Grafham, Rutland, and Pitsford. Trout stocking continues as before, and from 2025 predator fishing has been added — pike and perch targeting in the colder months. The dam wall remains one of England's great bank-fishing marks, with deep water close in and reliable buzzer fishing from April. Boat drifts over Toft Bay and Lin Croft are productive in southerly winds. Sedge and daddy bring fish to the surface in late summer.

  • Reservoir
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • High temperatures may push fish deeper and reduce surface activity.
  • Damsel Nymph is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 April → 30 September
Related guides
Big Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatchThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations